UAlbany Basketball Comes Up Short Against Big East's #23 Villanova in Season Opener

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Villanova, Pa. -- Scottie Reynolds had 13 points, all in the second half, to pace six players in double figures in leading nationally-ranked Villanova to a 78-60 victory over UAlbany on college basketball’s opening night before a sold-out crowd at The Pavilion on Friday, Nov. 14. The Wildcats, who are ranked No. 23 by Associated Press and No. 25 the ESPN/USA Today, extended their winning streak in Pavilion home openers to 18 straight.

Villanova came flying out of the gate by turning a 12-6 advantage into an 18-point margin. The Wildcats, who shot 58.6 percent in first half on 17-of-29 attempts, went on a big run by using a sting defense in the halfcourt and employing a zone press in the open floor. Antonio Pena, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound center who had 10 his 12 points in the period, ignited that stretch with a slam dunk off a missed three-point shot by Corey Fisher and by canning a pair of free throws.

Dante Cunningham, the lone Wildcat to start every game last year, scored off a follow shot in transition for an 18-6 lead. Pena, who was double-teamed in the post, later found Casiem Drummond slicing to the basket, before Corey Stokes, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, drilled a three-point field goal to increase the lead to 27-9. Reggie Redding’s dunk after a steal provided Villanova with a 19-point cushion, its largest of the period.

In the second half, UAlbany made two runs at lead. Brian Connelly, the team’s top returning scorer, made a jumper from the circle, and Tim Ambrose scored off an offensive rebound. Brett Gifford, who had four points and grabbed seven rebounds as a starter, then converted off a high-low entry pass when his shot was goaltended to close the gap to 49-37. The Wildcats, who have made four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, reeled off eight unanswered points. Pena connected on a left baseline drive, before Corey Fisher hit two free throws and made a floater that beat the shot clock.

Villanova still led 60-40 midway through the period, but the Great Danes clawed back with 11 of the game’s next 13 points. Will Harris, the Virginia transfer who was making his UAlbany debut, scored off a tip-in and added a conventional three-point play in that run. Ambrose, a 6-foot sophomore, later made a layup off a steal to get his club within 62-51 with 6:29 to play. Harris finished with 13 points, five assists and three rebounds.

Reynolds, a Wooden Award candidate and an All-Big East Conference guard, made sure his team responded the visitors’ charge. After Reggie Redding drilled a three-pointer off a second-chance opportunity, Reynolds made two foul shots and delivered a knock-out 3-pointer to seal the outcome.

“Our early turnovers led to their runs in the first half,” said UAlbany coach Will Brown, who has eight new faces on his 13-player roster. “We finally settled down and had some opportunities in the second half, but their guards are so good. You have to help yourself against a team like Villanova, and we had too many careless turnovers.”

Cunningham and Stokes each had 13 points for the Wildcats, who shot 54.9 percent overall and forced UAlbany to commit 20 turnovers. Redding and Fisher added 11 and 10 points, respectively. UAlbany’s Anthony Raffa, a freshman playing in his first game as a collegian, tied for team scoring honors with 13 points.

“Albany played hard and scrapped us,” said Villanova coach Jay Wright, who has taken his program to three NCAA regional semifinals and one Elite Eight appearance over the last four years. “We couldn’t put them away. We did a good job early and then went away from it. They never left Scottie (Reynolds), even when he didn’t have the ball, but then he got it going in the second half.”

The Great Danes, who were playing their highest ranked opponent in a season opener, will take on their second consecutive Big East team on Monday at DePaul.